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HEATHFIELD SCHOOL
POLICY ON CHILD PROTECTION
September 2006
Revised September 2007
HEATHFIELD SCHOOL
POLICY ON CHILD PROTECTION
The protection of pupils from abuse, whether sexual, physical, mental or other inflicted through isolated incidents or of a continuing nature is of primary importance. Heathfield School will take all reasonable measures to minimise the risk of harm to pupil’s welfare and will take all appropriate actions to address concerns about the welfare of a pupil, working to agreed policies and procedures and in partnership with other local agencies.
The School aims to raise pupils’ awareness of Child Protection issues through the Curriculum and Personal, Social and Health Education lessons. Pastoral Care and School Policies ensure that pupils have a range of contacts and strategies for their own protection and an understanding of the importance of protecting others.
The Headmaster is the designated member of staff for dealing with Child Protection Procedures. There is a range of adults to whom pupils can turn for help. These include Teaching staff, and Matron who is an independent and confidential listener.
Procedure for Reporting Suspected/Alleged Child Abuse
It is recognised that bullying or abuse may be specifically concerned with race, disability, religion or gender. Any member of staff who is told of an incident or has a strong suspicion of child abuse to a pupil at school, at home or outside the school (or who him/herself knows or suspects such abuse), must report the information the same day to the designated member of staff. If the allegation or suspicion implicates the Headmaster, then the report should be made to the Deputy Head.
Child abuse to be reported includes:
· abuse of a pupil by a staff member or other adult;
· abuse at home, which a pupil reports to staff;
· abuse by a stranger outside the school, and
· abuse of one pupil by another pupil.
In the case of abuse by a pupil, or group of pupils, the key issues identifying the problem as abuse are:
· the frequency, nature and severity of the incident(s);
· whether the victim was coerced by physical force, fear, or by a pupil and/or group of pupils significantly older, or having power or authority over them;
· whether the incident involved a potentially criminal act, and whether if the same incident (or injury) had occurred to a member of staff or other adult it would have been regarded as assault or otherwise actionable.
If in doubt discuss with the Headmaster or Deputy Head.
It should also be noted that any person may refer a suspicion or allegation of child abuse direct to the Social Services Department or the Police.
Responsibility for Investigation
School staff should not investigate reports of physical or sexual abuse themselves. Alleged victims, perpetrators, those reporting abuse and others involved should not be interviewed by school staff beyond the point at which it is clear that there is an allegation of abuse.
Local authority child protection procedures are followed in cases of alleged child abuse, and these require that, to minimize the risk of problems that have occurred in the investigation of abuse elsewhere in the country, the interviewing of children and adults involved is now carried out by specially trained staff only.
These procedures agreed between (amongst others) the local authority and police in line with Government requirements, and in the light of recommendations of past enquiries into the handling of child abuse issues, are designed to avoid unnecessary or repeated interviewing and medical examinations and to avoid the “contamination of evidence” that may later be needed in court.
Confidentiality
Staff members, and other adults at the school, should never give absolute guarantees of confidentiality to pupils or adults wishing to tell them about something serious. They may, however, promise that they will only pass on information to the minimum number of people who must be told in order to ensure that the proper action is taken to resolve the problem, and that they will never tell anyone who does not have a clear “need to know”; also that they will personally take whatever steps they can to protect the informing pupil or adult from any retaliation or unnecessary stress (by removing them to a place of safety) that might be feared after a disclosure of alleged abuse has been made.
Receiving Allegations/Suspicions of Child Abuse
Any staff member to whom an allegation of child abuse is made should:
· limit any questioning to the minimum necessary to seek clarification only, strictly avoiding “leading” the pupil or adult who has approached them by making suggestions or asking questions that introduce their own ideas about what may have happened;
· stop asking any more questions as soon as the pupil or adult has disclosed that he/she believes that something abusive has happened to him/her, or to someone else;
· tell the informing pupil or adult that you will now make sure that the appropriate people are brought in to follow the problem up;
· ask the informing pupil or adult what steps they would like taken to protect them now that they have made an allegation, and assure them that the school will try to follow their wishes;
· refer the matter immediately, with all relevant details, to the Headmaster. If this cannot be done, the staff member him/herself should contact the Deputy Head;
· make a written record as soon as possible of what they have been told (wherever possible using the exact words), and make a copy of this available to the Headmaster and Deputy Head.
· The Headmaster will then refer the matter the same day to the Social Services and/or Police.
· The Social Services Department will then hold a strategy discussion, which will decide whether and how an investigation will proceed.
· There will be three strands to enquiries following an allegation:
1. An Inter-Agency Protection investigation
2. Criminal investigation by the Police
3. the School’s internal disciplinary procedures.
· Any allegation of racial discrimination or abuse involving any member of the School (whether as perpetrator or victim) is to be notified to the Headmaster as soon as practicably possible;
· The procedures relate to all pupils under 18 years. Incidents involving those aged 18 and over will be notified (not referred) to the Social Services Department in relation to possible enquiries at a later stage.
Parents
Parents should be aware that the School’s first priority is the welfare of each pupil. Therefore there may be occasions when concerns about a pupil mean agencies are consulted before parents are contacted.
Recruitment of Staff who have Substantial Unsupervised Access to Children
The School operates safe recruitment procedures and will ensure that all appropriate checks are carried out on new staff and volunteers who will work with or in close proximity to pupils, including Criminal Record Bureau checks, List 99 checks, and follows the guidance set out in ‘Safeguarding Children: Safer Recruitment and Selection in Education Settings’ (Ref: DfES/1568/2005) and ‘Child Protection: Preventing Unsuitable People from Working with Children & Young Persons in the Education Service’ (Ref:: DfES/0278/2002.
The School checks with the Police and the Department for Education and Employment List 99 to ensure that a prospective employee who has substantial unsupervised access to pupils is not listed as a person “unsuited to act as a worker with either children or young persons”.
Allegations Against a Member of Staff
If the alleged perpetrator is a member of staff it may be necessary for him/her to be suspended, without imputation of guilt, pending the outcome of the enquiry.
If a member of staff faces an allegation of physical or sexual abuse the guidelines produced by Worcestershire County Council will be followed.
The school is aware of its statutory obligation to report instances of misconduct by teachers, to the SSD and the Police (Regulation 7 of the Education [Particulars of Independent Schools] Regulations 1982). The school has procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse against members of staff/volunteers that comply with locally agreed inter-agency procedures and the guidance contained within ‘Safeguarding Children in Education’ (Ref: DfES/0027/2004).
There will be an annual review of the school’s policies and procedures relating to safeguarding, and how the duties in relation to child protection have been discharged. Any deficiencies or weaknesses in regard to child protection arrangements will be remedied without delay.
ANTI-BULLYING POLICY
1. SCHOOL ETHOS
It is a primary aim of the School that it should combine high personal and social standards with a friendly atmosphere and mutual tolerance in which pupils of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds, of all religious persuasions and of various levels of ability are welcome.
We believe that the School should be a happy and positive community characterised by an appreciation of, and respect for, the work of every member of that community.
We expect our pupils to do their best to aspire to excellence. We expect them to be diligent, to be honest, to practise good manners in their relationships with one another and with staff, and to be reliable and punctual.
We recognise that our pupils have various talents and differing rates of development. We attach value to every achievement, however modest, which stems from the efforts and care of the individual pupil. It is our hope and aim that every pupil should discover at least one area of school life in which he or she can show genuine prowess.
We believe that every pupil has the right to look for happiness and security at School. We insist that no pupil or pupils have the right to make the life of other pupils unhappy, whether through overt bullying (physical or non-physical), or through less obvious forms of pressure or alienation. We attach particular gravity to such offences.
The example of the staff is of paramount importance in creating that climate within which pupils feel valued, secure and happy. The mutual respect with which staff regard one another and the public demonstration of this are both important. Similar standards apply to the relationship between staff and pupils, so that pupils are always treated with honesty, fairness and with regard for their individuality.
2. RATIONALE
· Parents and guardians have a right to expect that Heathfield School has taken steps to develop an anti-bullying policy. They should feel that the staff are aware of agreed responses to incidents of bullying.
· The Trustees of the School and Senior Management Team share these expectations.
· Staff need to have clear guidelines about the action to be taken when there is a suspicion of bullying. They need to have confidence that the Senior Management will implement the appropriate procedures and will support their concerns about individual children.
3. AIM
We aim to create an anti-bullying culture which ensures that pupils and staff live and work in a safe environment where they are valued, respected and listened to. In this environment pupils will feel confident and be able to approach adults about matters of concern to them. The adults who work in the School will have knowledge of the School’s anti-bullying policy and procedures.
4. OBJECTIVES
· To ensure the protection of all of our pupils from all forms of bullying.
· To encourage open communication and good listening.
· To ensure that the staff are kept updated about any national initiatives to maintain good professional standards.
· To ensure that staff follow internal procedures which will be updated as necessary.
· To ensure that pupils and their parents and/or guardians are fully aware of the School’s anti- bullying policy and procedures.
SIX METHODS FOR ENSURING PROTECTION OF PUPILS AT HEATHFIELD SCHOOL
· All teaching staff will have a written copy of this policy contained within their Staff Handbook.
· Although the Headmaster has ultimate responsibility for the pastoral care at Heathfield, day-to-day responsibility is given to Head of Lower Junior School, Head of Junior School and Head of Senior School. The Child Protection Officer is the Headmaster who has undertaken training in Child Protection (pending Autumn 2006).
· Written procedures for all staff will provide guidance on the keeping of notes and records. It is essential that clear, factual, written notes are kept to assist in the thorough investigation of suspected bullying incidents.
· Staff who report suspected bullying will be supported by the Senior Management Team.
· Bullying will be a core theme in the PSHE programme, which will be re-visited several times as a child progresses through the School.
· The School will make full use of a variety of support systems including all staff.
CHILD ABUSE
Staff are not permitted to strike a pupil at any time. There is a lot of attention, quite rightly, directed at concerns related to child abuse and staff will be expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times.
While we do not wish to avoid physical demonstrations of affection towards children it is important that we are circumspect and consider the possibility of misinterpretation of any physical contact. Particular care should be taken by staff involved in the supervision of pupils changing for Dance/PE/Games. |
